Alpha Trine by Lexi Ander Book Review

Genre: Science fiction, Erotica
Author: Lexi Ander
Series: The Valespian Pact #1
Date Published: September 25, 2013
Publisher: Less Than Three Press LLC
Size: 156
Edition: ebook (ARC)
ISBN: 9781620042434

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The sole survivor on a science vessel adrift in deep space, Zeus was adopted by the Emperor and Empress of the Mar'Sani, though he is both human and blind, and seen by most as unfit to join the royal family. Though they were able to repair his vision, Zeus does not trust his eyes and the nobles of his parents' court refuse to ever trust a frail human.

Dargon Kal-Turak, along with his symbiote and lover Alpha, command one of the most dangerous ships in the stars. Narrowly escaping a trap, they dock in a space port to make repairs, but find that the Psonics hunting them are closing in fast. In desperation they kidnap the port Master Mechanic, unaware that the man they've brought on board is more than he seems, and will bring far more upheaval to their ship, their lives, and the stars than any of them could have imagined.

Review:

I couldn't wrap my head around the world-building in Alpha Trine. There's just a smorgasbord of fairly everything in a Galactic Empire. Was I not a fan of Star Wars and Star Trek, I would not have been able to proceed to the second chapter of the book. Overall, the author's inventiveness was brilliant in creating different species of aliens with their physical traits and physiological functions, and how each alien species play a role in the United Galaxies. The narration's spot on but felt rushed.

I didn't know what I was up for in picking a free copy of this ebook via netgalley. I want to write my first dose of scifi so I clicked randomly... on the Scifi and fantasy section. Oh boy, was I surprised a third part into the book.

I wasn't expecting much from the title. I couldn't place what it means. There are just the basic meaning of the two words: alpha for dominance and trine for three. Not only was I surprised that this book is an erotica a third part of the book, it apparently is an M/M/M-Alien kind of erotica. It means that it's an all-male ménage à trois of 3 alien species. Oh Lawd!

Eight years ago, my mind was blown by Yaoi, a boys' love genre in Japan. While I was intrigued and somewhat corrupted that I thought any two close males I see around the campus could have more-than-friendship-kind-of-relationship. Thanks to the internet 3 years later, two terms emerged so I would not confuse Yaoi with all all-male closeness: Bromance and Guys' Love. There's a great difference among the three.

Although there was a point in my life that I can't help myself to misjudge a relationship between two male friends, the thing is, I'm not a fan of Yaoi. When I think of male to male relationship, I'm not seeing two males but one male and a female. One must always assume a top or a bottom role.

Zeus' character development really had such a turn. When he was adopted as a baby by the royal family of Mar'Sani, a species of lizard-like aliens with hard scales, I was excited of how his upbringing will be. A fragile human (Terren to the Mar'Sani) under the care of hard alien species, who won't be curious?

With all of his combat trainings both by his twin elder brothers and the warlords, Zeus grew to be as manly as possible in my eyes. But then come his job as a space mechanic in a station outside the planet he calls home. Despite gaining 23 kilos of muscle, when Dargon (a lion-like alien) came into the picture, he became a she. And I was no longer concerned with my expected serious galactic war plot, I'm all on the development of their budding *ehem* smexin' relationship.

Alien species to watch out for:

Conti'Quan - a telekinetic huge plant alien
Fal'Amoric - they look like how a perfect human being should be, hermaphrodite alien species
Battion - a bulky furball (another Chewbacca?)
Orion - blue octopus-like alien species (think about what those tentacles could do)
Dar Massaga - feline-like alien that could transform both into humanoid form and lion-like form
Symbiote - a dissimilar being attached to a Dar Massaga that could be an Alpha (who bonded with males) or Zeta (bonded with females). The Dar Massage are sexually influenced by their symbiote.